Automatic lubricator for tailstock centers



Oct. 15, 1946. `L TuRENcHALK E-rAL A 2,409,324

AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR FOR TAILSTOCK yCENTERS BY l .Y

Patented Oct. 15, 1946 2,409,324 AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR FOR TAILS'TOCK CENTER John rurenchalk and Harry T'uren'chalk,

` Yonkers, N. Y.

Application July 21, 1944, Serial No. 545,956

Claims.

The invention relates to alubricator, andA more especially to an automatic lubricat'or for a tail stock center.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a lubricating device of this character, wherein the lathe centers, especially a tail stock center, will be automatically lubricated constantly, thereby saving valuable time in this direction, in that hand oiling is eliminated, and a decrease of the work going off center due to excessive wearing of the tail stock., which might result in untrueness of the work.

Due to careful attention necessary for accurate work on the lathe, lathe centers, especially the tail stock center, must be either well oiled or greased from time to time for satisfactory operation, but inV duetime, especially if the center is unhardened there is a bruising of the same, after some work is turned out, this being remedied by grinding the tail stock center from time to time.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an automatic lubricating device, wherein the above difficulties will have been overcome, and in this manner the device is a time saver.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, strong, durable, a positive lubricant feed control, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows the preferred embodiments of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tail stock for a lathe showing the lubricating device constructed in accordance with the invention installed, the Deen of the center being broken away in part.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a slight modification.

Figure 5 is a plan View oi one of the elements of the bellows assembly of the modied form of expansible and collapsible container.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, particularly 2 l Figures i to 3, inclusive, A designates generally the body of a tail stock for a lathe, and is of standard construction, having the advancing and receding center I0 as usual, with its peen II, in association with the lubricating device constituting the present invention and hereinafter set forth. The center I0, however, is modified for the attachment of the lubricator thereto, by having a longitudinal bore 22 extending inwardly from the end of the peen II and commonly connecting several lateral bores 2| opening radially outward the body of the center.

The device comprises a bellows-like expansible and collapsible container l2, having at its bottom a central discharge nipple I3, externally threaded at im Thisk nipple I3 is passed through a companion hole in a shelf I of a hanger brachet IG, which is made secured to the stock body A at one side thereof, as at il, the nipple being also connected by a detachable union I3 with a flexible duct i9, which extends to the center It, where it is coupled therewith through a nipple 20 at any one of the radial bores 2l.

The exible duct I 9 is fitted with a cutoi valve 23 adjacent to its connection with the center IG, so as to permit regulation of the flow of lubricant from the container l2 into the passage 22 for proper lubrication of the peen l I.

As before stated, the center Iii is provided with several lateral bores 2 radiating from the inner end of the longitudinal bore 22 that extends outward through the peen II, and all of these, with the exception o-f the one in connection with the nipple 20, are closed off by Allen set screws 26', so that, when the center I shows a slight unevenness in wear, it may be compensated for by interchanging the nipple 2i) with any one of the set screws 20', thus changing the relative position of the center with respect to the nipple and, consequently, that of the peen II with respect to the work.

The shelf IE5 of the bracket I6 is formed with an upstanding rack 24 for sustaining the container I2 vertically, which is confined or held within the said rack 24 for the working thereof. The top of the container I2 is formed with an indented filling nipple 25 in which is removably threaded a closure plug 2S, which on removal permits the filling of the container I2 with grease or oil for lubricating purposes.

Adapted to be superimposed on the top of the container I2 is one or more disk-like weights 2l, these being confined Within the rack 24 and function to exert pressure on the container I2 to force lubricant therefrom for lubricating the center l0.

If additional pressure is required for forcing lubricant from within the container I2 there is created a weight hook or hanger 28, for the carriage of supplemental weights 29, which are similar to the weights 21. This hook or hanger 28 has a saddle 30 for resting upon a weight or weights 21 when superimposed on the top of the container I2, the mounting of the said hook or hanger 28 being clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

The center l is held in position by a key 3l which engages in the sleeve 32 oi the center l0, as is shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

In Figure 4 of the drawing there is shown a slight modification of the lubricant container,

and, here, the top 33 thereof is in the form of an inverted, cylindrical cap, of metal, which has its end Wall provided with the indented lling nipple ZEQ'nOrmally closed by a screw plug, and the edge of its side wall outwardly flanged, as at 33', which, in turn, has its edge upwardly beaded, as at 33". The bottom 3d takes the form of a flat circular wall, having its edge beaded, as at 34', and provided with a downwardly extending nipple i3', opening through its center. The wall of the bellows, forming the body I2' of the container, is made up of a series of washer-like discs 35, stamped out from a suitable flexible material of a lubricant resistant character. These discs 35 have their inner and outer edges beaded, as at 35', with the beads of the inner edges on the sides of the discs opposite to those on which the beads at the outer edges are formed, so that, when the end portions 33, 34, and the discs 35 are brought into assembly, as shown, the juxtapositioned beads provide grips for the clinching over the same of metal rims 36. By this novel construction, the advantage of simplification and least expense, in the making and assembling of the container parts, is readily apparent.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lubricator of the class described, a collapsible container having the form of a vertically disposed bellows, with flat top and bottom end walls, the top wall having a centrally disposed inwardly nippled inlet for a supply of the lubricant, the bottom wall having a centrally disposed, downwardly extending, nippled outlet, a closure plug for the inlet, a flexible duct leading from the outlet, and a cutoff valve for controlling the lubricant discharge from the ilexible duct.

2. The lubricator as in claim 1, with the top and'bottom walls of metal and the bellows made up of a plurality of washer-like discs stamped out from a sheet of lubricant resistant material, the edges of the walls and discs being beaded and juxtapositioned, when in assembly, to provide grips for the clnching of metal retaining rims thereover.

3. The lubricator as in claim 1 wherein there is provided changeable weight means for exerting pressure on said container for forcing lubricant therefrom through said duct.

4. The lubricator as in claim 1, wherein there is provided a rack for sustaining the container in working position.

5. The lubricator as in claim 1, wherein there is provided a removable weight hanger for association with the container.

JOHN TURENCHALK. HARRY TURENCHALK. 

